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From @Recipe30

Smoky Italian Pasta Salad

30 min · Serves 4

30 mintotal
20 minhands on
15steps
4servings

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Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 400 g fusilli pasta
  • Salt, for the water

For the dressing

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 3 tbsp capers, divided
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Pinch chili flakes
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Black pepper

For the salad

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 celery stick, finely sliced
  • 170 g smoked ham, diced into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 200 g low-moisture smoked mozzarella, diced into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing

Method

For the pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt it well, and cook the fusilli until slightly softer than al dente.

    For pasta salad, slightly softer pasta absorbs the dressing better and stays tender when chilled.

For the dressing

  1. Add the extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, anchovy fillets, grated garlic, 1 tbsp of the capers, Dijon mustard, oregano, and chili flakes to a small saucepan.

  2. Warm gently over low heat, stirring until the anchovies melt into the oil and everything combines, about 2 minutes.

    Keep the heat low so the garlic stays pale and does not brown.

  3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the white wine vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper.

For the salad

  1. Char the whole red bell pepper directly over a gas flame until blackened all over.

  2. Place the charred pepper in a bowl, cover with a plate, and leave to steam until cool enough to handle.

  3. Drain the pasta and give it a quick rinse under cold water.

  4. Transfer the warm pasta to a large mixing bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss until every twist is well coated.

  5. Peel the skin off the charred pepper, remove the seeds, and slice the flesh thinly.

  6. Toast the slivered almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden, then transfer to a small dish to cool completely.

  7. Add the sliced roasted pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, celery, diced smoked ham, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 2 tbsp capers to the bowl.

  8. Toss the salad gently to combine all the ingredients.

  9. Add the diced smoked mozzarella, cooled almonds, shredded basil, and chopped parsley.

  10. Toss once more to distribute everything evenly, then rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

    Then 20 min of waiting

    The salad can also be chilled in the fridge for an hour to let the flavors blend even further.

  11. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and extra basil leaves just before serving.

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